Emerald Isle Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K

This remote island on the Bogue Banks along the region known as the Crystal Coast of North Carolina, just south of the Outer Banks and just west of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse and seashore, plays host to the Emerald Isle Marathon, Half Marathon and 5K, a race that benefits the Emerald Isle bicycle path and breast cancer charity Little Pink Houses of Hope.

Runners will get the chance to trek the streets of this tiny town of about 3,500 residents — which swells to more than 50,000 at the height of the summer tourist season — along the course, which follows an out-and-back route that starts and finishes next to the Islander Hotel, just off the main road onto the island, called Emerald Drive.

From there, the course heads northeast along Emerald Drive for the first 5 1/2 miles of the race, taking runners past the Emerald Isle Town Hall, all the way up to the first turn, on Connie Street.

That brings runners around to Ocean Drive, which takes them past beach home after beach home for the next 3 1/2 miles, back into the town of Emerald Isle, where they’ll turn next once Ocean Drive reaches Jackson Avenue.

The next mile or so brings runners across the width of the island to Sound Drive, where they’ll turn left and begin a nearly two-mile-long stretch along the waters of the Bogue Sound, which separates the barrier island known as the Bogue Banks — home to Emerald Isle as well as Salter Path, Pine Knoll Shores and Atlantic Beach — from the North Carolina mainland.

Once they reach the turn from Sound Drive onto Old Ferry Road, runners then head south along Old Ferry to Reed Drive, and begin the final mile or so of the race along Reed to Islander Drive, where they turn in to head south toward the beach and cross the finish line back at the hotel where they started.

Race Weather & Climate

Located along the North Carolina coast, about 80 miles northeast of Wilmington and just west of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse on the Outer Banks, Emerald Isle typically sees March temperatures that average between 43°F and 65°F, while precipitation totals average just over 4.2 inches for the month.

On race day (March 30), the average low is 46°F and the average high is 68°F.